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PROGRAMMER'S NOTES The revived Greek Film Festival in New York comes at a time of change in contemporary Greek cinema. Just as the studio era of 1950-70 gave way to the director’s cinema of the post-junta era, that cinema now is giving way to a hybrid cinema that seeks to combine the virtues of its predecessors.
Production in the studio era often hit more than a hundred films a year. That fare was mainly composed of comedies, melodramas, and musicals. The emphasis was on entertainment and performers. Political themes could only be addressed indirectly. On the fringes of this commercial cinema, artistic films such as O Drakos, Magic City, Stella, and The Girl in Black also were produced. Greek actors such as Melina Mercouri and Irene Papas attained international celebrity status and the music of Mikis Theodorakis and Manos Hadjidakis earned Greek bouzouki world acclaim.
The era following the fall of the junta in 1974 shifted emphasis from performers to directors. The artistic vision of the director—a sense that the director is the author of a film—became paramount. Direct expression of political views was now considered one of the natural options open to every director and that option was frequently exercised. The outstanding film of this era is Thiasos (The Traveling Players) and Theo Angelopoulos, its director, embodies the era’s regard for author-directors.
Although numerous films made by various Greek directors often received international recognition, Greek cinema slowly lost its audience within Greece. Just as popular Greek cinema in its final years often seemed no more than visual junk food gone bad, much of the Greek public began to view the director’s cinema as idiosyncratic and pretentious. Half of the roughly twenty Greek films produced in each year of the 1990s had box office attendance of less than 10,000. At the same time, some of the better studio-era films being shown on television were drawing large audiences and a new wave of low-budget independents attracted a respectable number of viewers.
A turning point in contemporary Greek cinema occurred in 2000 with the release of Safe Sex. This spoof on Greek morality that featured personalities from television had over a million admissions. By attracting the largest audience for any film released that year in Greece, including all the Hollywood block-busters, Safe Sex demonstrated that there remained a huge national appetite for Greek films.
In the years that followed the success of Safe Sex, a new trend began to emerge in Greek film. While the focus remained on the personal vision and style of the director, more attention was increasingly given to themes and formats that appealed to the popular imagination. This change, involving many veteran directors as well as newcomers, has been an evolutionary rather than a revolutionary process, and it has remained more intuitive than program- matic. The films being screened at this festival reflect this new trend in Greek cinema. --Dan Georgakas
SCREENING SCHEDULE
CINEMA VILLAGE
Fri. Oct. 3 1 p.m. EDUART 3:10 p.m. BACH AND BOUZOUKI THE HOMECOMING 5:40 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT 8 p.m. THE HOMECOMING 10 p.m. EDUART
Sat. Oct. 4 1 p.m. SIRENS IN THE AEGEAN 3:15 p.m. URANYA 5:10 p.m. NEVER ON SUNDAY 7:15 p. m. SIRENS IN THE AEGEAN 9 :30 p.m. EDUART
Sun. Oct. 5 1 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT 3 :10 p. m. URANYA 5:15 p.m. RESURFACE THE LOVERS FROM AXOS In person: Director Nicos Ligouris 8 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT 10 p.m. URANYA
Mon. Oct. 6 1 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT 3:10 p.m. BACH AND BOUZOUKI THE HOMECOMING 5:30 p.m. NEVER ON SUNDAY 7:30 p.m SONG OF LIFE
Presentation by 9:4 0 p.m. HIDDEN IN THE SAND THE HOMECOMING Tue. Oct 7 1 p.m. EDUART 3:10 p.m. URANYA 5:15 p.m. EDUART 7:30 p.m. THE CALLER In person: Director Richard Ledes 9:4 0 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT
Wed. Oct. 8 1:30 p.m. LITTLE GREEK GODFATHER 3:45 p.m. HIDDEN IN THE SAND THE HOMECOMING 6:30 p.m. BACH AND BOUZOUKI LITTLE GREEK GODFATHER 9 p.m. LOVERS FROM AXOS RESURFACE
Thur. Oct. 9 1 p.m. LITTLE GREEK GODFATHER 3 p.m. LITTLE GREEK GODFATHER 5 p.m. SIRENS IN THE AEGEAN 7:30 p.m. THE PRIVATE RIGHT 9:30 p.m. SIRENS IN THE AEGEAN
CINEMART CINEMA
Fri. Oct. 10 1 p.m. THE HOMECOMING 3:15 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT 5:30 p.m. EDUART 8 p.m. THE HOMECOMING 10 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT
Sat. Oct. 11 1 p.m. LITLE GREEK GODFATHER 3:15 p.m. SIRENS IN THE AEGEAN 5:30 p.m. LITTLE GREEK GODFATHER 8 p.m. EDUART 10 p.m. SIRENS IN THE AEGEAN
Sun. Oct. 12 1 p.m. SIRENS IN THE AEGEAN 3:15 p.m. LITTLE GREEK GODFATHER 5:30 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT 8 p.m. SIRENS IN THE AEGEAN
Mon. Oct. 13 1 p.m. LITTLE GREEK GODFATHER 3:15 p.m. LITTLE GREEK GODFATHER 5:30 p.m. URANYA 8 p.m. EDUART
Tues. Oct. 14 1 p.m. HIDDEN IN THE SAND RESURFACE 3:15 p.m. BACH AND BOUZOUKI THE LOVERS FROM AXOS 5:45 p.m. BACH AND BOUZOUKI THE LOVERS FROM AXOS 8 P.M. SONG OF LIFE RESURFACE
Wed. Oct. 15 1 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT 3:15 SIRENS IN THE AEGEAN 5:30 p.m. URANYA 8 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT
Thurs. Oct. 16 1p.m. URANYA 3:15 p.m. EYES OF NIGHT 5:30 p.m. EDUART 8 p.m. URANYA
(Programs subject to change without notice)
Cinema Village CineMart Cinema
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The Hellenic-American
Chamber of Commerce is presenting the second annual New York City Greek
Film Festival October 3 through 16, 2008, with new feature films and
documentaries
you will want to see.
For group sales and further
information,
call: Scroll down for actual days and screening times for each film. Our 2008 Selections |
EDUART
Direction and screenplay by Pericles Hoursoglou Three fallible people navigate one of life’s most difficult passages in this gripping drama about searching for love and connection. Hronis, a middle-aged trucker, has no idea of how to relate to either of the two women in his life. A decent but selfish man who has narrowed life down to his own needs and pleasures, he behaves badly and hurts the woman he probably really loves. The luminous Vangelio Andreadaki was named Best Actress at the 44th Thessaloniki International Film Festival for her heartbreaking performance in this emotionally shattering film.
THE HOMECOMING (I Epistrofi) Direction and screenplay by Vassilis Douvlis In this spare, well-crafted film, the difficulties of repatriation are played against a story of marital infidelity and personal betrayal. After years of factory work in Germany, Elias and his much younger wife return to their almost deserted village near Ioannina. Indifferent to his wife’s unhappiness, he buys a service station/café and hires a young illegal Albanian immigrant to help run the business. The situation becomes complicated when the young man finds himself drawn to his boss’s wife. The surprise ending is a stunner.
Direction by Olga Malea Screenplay by Olga Malea and Nicholas Papandreou A prominent Greek politician sends his American-raised eleven year old son to Crete to win votes by baptizing the baby of a local party boss and parliamentary candidate. The young boy’s initiation into the world of politics leads him to start wondering about his own needs and not just about his father’s expectations. This gentle comedy is an ideal family film. Adults will relish the political satire while youngsters will enjoy watching the young hero come into his own.
Direction and screenplay by Nikos Perakis
Military drills on an uninhabited island near Kos are disrupted when a
Turkish yacht unexpectedly comes ashore with a curious collection of
passengers, ranging from political refuges to Turkish beauty queens.
Chaos ensues, but
URANYA Direction and screenplay by Costas Kapakas
Five teenagers in a small village are bound by a common goal: to save enough money to pay for a visit to the beautiful Uranya . An enchantress who lives just outside the village next to the sea, she can teach the boys the mysteries of love. But this is the summer of 1969, and loyalties will be tested as the boys face a dilemma: do they use the money to buy a television set to watch the moon landing or do they remain true to their original goal.
TWO
ASTONISHING DOCUMENTARIES THAT
EXPLORE THE HUMAN SPIRIT
THE LOVERS FROM AXOS (Oi Erastes Tis Axou) Direction by Nicos Ligouris
This moving documentary tells the story of a couple whose love for one another has endured for nearly three generations. Living in a mountain village in Crete, the two share their daily activities: dying thread for the loom, drying raisins, tending their shop—all the while facing the unbearable knowledge that failing health threatens to sever their loving union.
RESURFACE (Anadysi) Direction by Alexander Papanicolaou and Emilie Yannoukou
An up close and personal documentary about Alexandros Taxildaris, a 25 year old quadriplegic determined to overcome his limitations and compete as a swimmer in the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. Injured in a freak swimming accident, he returns once again to the water to “resurface.”
MODERN CLASSICS
NEVER ON SUNDAY (Pote Tin Kiriaki) Direction and screenplay by Jules Dassin
As a tribute to veteran director Jules Dassin who died in Athens earlier this year, the New York City Greek Film Festival presents his undiminished landmark 1960 film in its first theatrical showing in many years. Come experience the joy as American philhellene Homer Thrace (played by Dassin himself) tries to transform a living woman, an enchanting Melina Mercouri, into a symbol of the glory of ancient Greece. Melina won the best actress award at Cannes for her performance. Manos Hadjidakis won an Oscar for his glorious music. (This film will be shown only at the Cinema Village.)
THE PRIVATE RIGHT Direction and screenplay by Michael Papas
An EOKA guerilla fighter comes to London to exact vengeance on the collaborator who betrayed and tortured him. Shot guerrilla-style on the streets of London in 1965, this film was probably the first truly independent feature made outside the system in UK. Despite the political storm raised by the film due mainly to scenes of a British officer engaged in water-boarding torture in Cyprus, the film was acclaimed by critics and was selected as best British film of the year to represent UK at the London Film Festival.
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SPECIAL EVENT – Tuesday, October 7, 7:30 p.m., Cinema Village
A Tribute to Greek-American Director RICHARD LEDES
THE CALLER Direction by Richard Ledes Screenplay by Richard Ledes and Alain Didier-Weill
Frank Langella and Elliott Gould star in this noir-thriller about an executive at an international energy firm who effectively signs his own death warrant when he decides to blow the whistle on his company’s corrupt practices in Latin America. The Festival is proud to present this compelling film before its national release. Mr. Ledes will answer questions following the screening.
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SPECIAL EVENT
SONG OF LIFE (To Tragoudi Tis Zois) Direction by Tony Likouressis
In response to audience demand, the Festival once again presents this compelling film on the Jewish community of the island of Zakynthos (Zante), unique in Europe in that it did not lose a single member during the Holocaust. How Bishop Chrysostomos, Mayor Loukas Karrer, and the entire island defied the Occupation forces is the subject of this documentary. Events are examined in detail and given a compelling historical context. Years after the German Occupation, a joyful reunion of Christian and Jewish neighbors reflects the essence of the Greek way of life. Following the screening, Mimica Tsezana Hyman will share her memories of childhood summers on Zakynthos. Her father's family was hidden and saved by the Christian Greeks during the German Occupation of the island.
SHORT SUBJECTS
BACH AND BOUZOUKI Direction and screenplay by Angela Milonaki
The young daughter of Greek immigrants living in Germany must reconcile her determination to study classical music with the expectations and demands of her traditional Greek family.
Direction by Vasia Markides This short documentary chronicles the story of Famagusta (Varosha), a city in the Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus that was evacuated by its Greek Cypriot population during the 1974 invasion. Since then, a large portion of the city has been encircled by barbed wire, kept under surveillance by the Turkish military, and used as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Cyprus government. Contemporary scenes of the vacant city are contrasted with archives of the bourgeoning city of the 1970s. The film tackles the ugly effects of nationalism, militarism and propaganda, highlighting the absurdity of ethnic conflict and culminating in a general sentiment of hopefulness and an eagerness for change.
NOTE TO PARENTS:
SUPPORT THE FESTIVAL
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EYES
OF NIGHT
LITTLE
GREEK
HIDDEN IN THE SAND